Pastor’s ‘forced’ resignation illustrates evil within Evangelical Church

SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 BY EGBERTO WILLIES

Pastor Reverend Robert Wright Lee IV, a descendant of Confederate  Civil War General Robert E. Lee, resigned from the Bethany United Church of Christ after an appearance on the MTV Video Music Awards. His church placed him on notice for making a racial justice statement.

What did this good pastor do that raised the ire of a sect within his congregation even as his words is one the Church must make if it stands with Jesus? The pastor said the following on the MTV awards show.

https://twitter.com/MTV/status/902004297184886784

“My name is Robert Lee IV, I’m a descendant of Robert E. Lee, the Civil War general whose statue was at the center of violence in Charlottesville. We have made my ancestor an idol of white supremacy, racism, and hate. As a pastor, it is my moral duty to speak out against racism, America’s original sin.

Today, I call on all of us with privilege and power to answer God’s call to confront racism and white supremacy head-on. We can find inspiration in the Black Lives Matter movement, the women who marched in the Women’s March in January, and, especially, Heather Heyer, who died fighting for her beliefs in Charlottesville.”

Pastor Lee wrote an op-ed in AuburnSeminary.org in which he said the following.

My presence at the church as a descendent of Robert E. Lee and an outspoken opponent of White Supremacy had already attracted attention, but with my appearance on MTV the media’s focus on my church reached an all time high. A faction of church members were concerned about my speech and that I lifted up Black Lives Matter movement, the Women’ s March, and Heather Heyer as examples of racial justice work.

I want to stress that there were many in the congregation who supported my right to free speech, yet were uncomfortable with the attention the church was receiving. The church’s reaction was deeply hurtful to me.

I want it to be clear that I feel a deep love for this congregation, and gratitude that they were willing to hire me as my first church out of seminary. I believe with all my heart that God did good work in my life there. That being said, when the church wanted to vote on my tenure, I tendered my resignation

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